Bag structure



June 15', 1965 A..B. MOJONNIER. 7 3,189,253

BAG STRUCTURE Original F'ile d Nov. 8. 1961 INVENTOR. 445527 5. MoJoA M/E/z w BY I 2% WMWWWAMEZ/ate Arron/5Y5 United States Patent 0 "ice -3,189,253: BAG STRUCTURE Aihert B. Mojonnier, 5357 NE. River Road, Chicago, ill. Continuation of application Ser. No. 151,960, Nov. 8, 1961. This application Feb. 27, E64, Ser. No. 343,901 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-66) This application is a continuation of my application for patent Serial No. 151,060, filed November 8, 1961, en titled Bag Structure and Method." This method part of my invention is described and claimed in my application Serial No. 232,907, filed October 24, 1962, entitled Method of Making Bag Structure, which latter application is a division of said application Serial No. 151,060.

This invention relates to bags and the like having opening and closing means of the tin-tie type.

The invention also has reference to bags of the described type particularly adapted for use in the dairy industry for holding milk samples preparatory to making laboratory tests of the milk.

Heretofore bags of this type have been objectionable either because they failed to promote the desired sanitation in their use or because of high cost of manufacture.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved bag structure of this kind which will meet the desired sanitation requirements and which may be manufactu'red at a comparatively low cost.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated by those skilled in this art as the invention becomes better understand by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a bag structure embodying my invention, showing an end strip partly torn off;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bag, opened;

FIG. 3 is enlarged top view of the opened bag; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken on the section line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

My invention is characterized by the provision of an improved opening and closing means for the bag having pull tabs formed integrally with the deformable strips which in one form or another are typical of the so-called tin-tie type of fastening. In a preferred emodiment of the invention I form these pull tabs as a part of the adhesive strips which are applied to opposite sides of the bag. And by forming the pull tabs the entire width of the adhesive strips I obtain comparatively large projecting tabs, each of which may be easily grasped between a thumb and finger and pulled in opposite directions to open the bag.

Referring to the drawings, the bag designated generally by reference numeral 11 may be of any size and material suitable for the use to which the bag or receptacle is intended. For holding liquid such as milk I use a plastic film such as polyethylene. In this particular use the bag is of normally fiat tubular form. It is closed at all edges and perforated along a line 12 to permit tearing otf an end strip 13 preparatory to opening the bag. With this construction the bag is made sterile and the end strip may be torn off as indicated in part in FIG. 1, whereupon the tabs 14 and 15 may be pulled apart to open the bag as shown in FIG. 2; This construction permtis opening the bag without putting fingers into the bag or otherwise contaminating the interior of the bag. The attendant may then hold the open bag by grasping one or the other end tabs 16-17 with one hand or supporting the bag with these tabs resting on spread fingers of such hand. With the other hand the attendant may use a suitable dipper for picking up a small sample of milk and pouring it into the mouth of the open bag, The

ag may then be closed by pulling in opposite directions the tabs 1647, folding over a number of times the entire fastening on the bag, and folding in the end tabs 16-17 to lock the bag closed, as is well known in this art.

In this embodiment a strip of adhesive tape is applied to each side of the bag, as strips 1? and 20. To one side only of the bag is applied a strip 21 of deformable material, preferably of ductile metal or the equivalent, which will retain the shape to which it is bent. The strip 21 extends to the ends of the tabs 1617. In this form the Strip 21 is applied beneath the adhesive strip 19 and the latter holds the strip 21 in position because it is of greater width and its marginal edge portions are adhered by the adhesive to the outer face of the bag. Similarly, the adhesive strips are united at the end tabs 16-17.

From the foregoing it will be observed that each pull tab 1445 is formed from one of the adhesive strips and is foldable sidewise between a position against the outer side of its strip to an outstanding position shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. From the position shown in FIG. 1 these tabs may be pulled outwardly to open the bag at the top. After the bag has been filled to the degree desired, the end tabs 16-17 may be pulled outwardly, closing the bag. The top end portion of the bag may then be rolled over, including the tapes with their intermediate tabs folded back against their respective tapes. This rolling or fold ing over may be done several times as is conventional in prior tin-tie type bags, thereby closing the bag. Following this the end tabs 1647 may be folded in over the rolled top end to lock the closing means in the closed position. The intermediate pull tabs provide a positive, permanent, and dependable means for opening the bag in a manner insuring sanitation. Also by making these tabs of no greater width than the tape the top of the bag may be rolled over in a manner to insure against leakage. This intermediate tab construction also effects economy in manufacture.

It should also be understood that the term bag is used to denote any receptacle to which the tin-tie type of opening and closing means is adapted, also that such bag receptacles are adapted for uses other than holding milk samples. They may be used for holding or packaging many other commodities and articles.

It will be apparent, therefore, that changes may be made in details of the bag structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim, in which I claim:

A bag for liquid, comprising front and rear walls connected at the side edges and closed at the bottom, said walls being formed of flexible material; and opening and closing means extending transversely across the bag adjacent to the top thereof, said means including a strip of material having adhesive on one side applied to each side of the bag with the adhesive side of the strip adhering to the outer face of the adjacent side wall, each strip having a portion intermediate its ends folded outwardly and back upon itself with the adhesive side of each fold portion adhering throughout its length with the opposite fold portion to provide a pull tab of substantial length, each such pull tabe portion being of no greater width than that of the strip, said intermediate pull tabs each being pivotal from side to side from its juncture point at the strip between an outwardly extending position where said tabs are adapted to be manually pulled in 0pposite directions for the purpose of opening the bag and a position substantially flat against the outer side of the adjacent strip, the ends of at least one strip extending beyond the side edges of the bag to provide another pair of pull tabs adapted to be manually pulled outwardly for closing the bag at the top end, whereby after contents for the bag have been filled through the open end thereof the end tabs may be pulled outwardly to close the bag, the top portion of the bag including the strip material and in a) ierrnediate vpull tabs may be roll-folded over a number of times to close the bag with the intermediate tabs positioned flat against the adjacent strips, and the end tabs may be folded inwardly over said roll-folded top portion to lock this port-ion in its bag-closing position, and whereby the integral structure of the intermediate tabs with the strips provides permanent connection of said intermediate tabs with the strips and permits folding of such tabs compactly against the strips to avoid leakage of the liquid 4 v after the bag has beenrroll-folded over in the described closing operation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,189,174 2/40 Hohl. -1. 229-66 2,635,788 4/53 Snyder et a1 229-62 2,973,131 2/61 Mead et al.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

